The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (

a) Meeting the educational needs of student athletes should be a priority for intercollegiate athletic programs. (

b) California’s institutions of higher education that participate in Division I and Division II intercollegiate athletics collectively generate millions of dollars annually in media contracts, and this revenue would not exist without the efforts of student athletes. (

c) Student athletes generate large revenues for many athletic programs, spend approximately hours per week participating in their respective sports, and suffer current and historically low graduation rates. (

d) Providing adequate health and safety protection for student athletes can help prevent serious injury and death. (

e) Current and former student athletes can be left to pay for medical expenses incurred from injuries suffered while participating in intercollegiate athletics. (

f) Institutions of higher education should provide their student athletes with the same due process protection afforded to students who do not participate in athletics. (

g) Athletic programs in this state are subject to federal gender equity requirements under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1681 et seq.). (

h) An institution of higher education should not punish any student athlete for transferring to another institution of higher education. (

i) An institution of higher education should not use funds for purposes of this part that are dedicated for the benefit of the general student body.